FLOATING

Floating Sauna :: Rosendahl Village, Norway
Intensive design build project by Marco Casagrande and Rintala Eggertsson Architects
Vastland Art Academy in Norway.

Growing up in Colorado, one of my favorite things to do in the winter is sit in a hot tub outside while its snowing.  There's something very romantic about the crisp cold of the outdoors and the warm hug of a hot tub.  This unique design in Norway echoes this same sentiment with this design of a floating sauna.

The sauna is situated in the middle of a lake, appearing, when lit, as a beacon to on-lookers while giving the opportunity for occupants to enjoy a cold swim in between the heat.

The wood planks and simplicity of design speaks to the Norwegian culture and their appreciation for nature and simplicity, values that many designers are passionate about.

The isolation with opportunity for interaction romanticizes the whole experience of being in the sauna while seamlessly integrating the surroundings.  While in one way, the occupants are on display in the middle of the lake, they are also capable of intimacy because of the inherent foggy appearance produced by the steam of the sauna.

Peace and tranquility would be easily attained in such a unique space.  I would be interested to see how a similar environment could be created in a more urban setting.  With as busy as we all are, a little peace and tranquility would be a great way to recharge our batteries before we get ready to do it all over again.

Images [via]

DESIGN. INSPIRE. REPEAT.